This invention relates to a dentifrice composition. More particularly, it relates to a toothpaste composition in gel form that contains fluoride and which is ingestible, non-burning and non-foaming.
In general, a dentifrice is a substance for cleaning the surfaces of the teeth when used in conjunction with a toothbrush. They are available as powders and pastes and contain flavoring agents, sweetening agents, soaps or detergents, and abrasives. It is the purpose of a dentifrice to free the teeth of stain, tartar, calculus and acid plaque.
Powder dentifrices are more abrasive than the paste type. Therefore, their use is more or less limited to teeth requiring stronger than average scrubbing. Paste dentifrices, however, avoid excessive tooth wear which is inherent in the powder type dentifrice.
In order to fight or inhibit tooth decay, it has been common practice to add fluoride to the dentifrice. This has generally taken the form of stannous fluoride, which is an added ingredient in many commercial brands of toothpaste.
Other attempts to prevent tooth decay have embodied the addition to the dentifrice of such compositions as hexachlorophene, which is a sterilizing agent, N-lauroyl sarcosinate, which is a sugar-fermentation preventative, and urea, which is an enzyme. But the most effective tooth decay inhibitor has been found to be fluoride, as hereinbefore stated.
In the past, bicarbonate of soda has found widespread use as a dentifrice. This material possesses the proper degree of grittiness and, hence, serves the abrasive function of removing stains from the teeth. It suffers, however, from the disadvantage of lacking a refreshing flavor.
It has therefore become common practice to add to a dentifrice composition mint flavors or chlorophyll. When used in conjunction with a dentifrice, these materials provide a flavorful and refreshing after-effect which makes brushing pleasant. In addition, flavoring agents minimize or combat to some degree halitosis and remove the odors of alcohol, smoke and certain foods.
The most preferable dentifrice should prevent tooth decay, prevent bad breath, clean the teeth, polish the teeth, leave no unpleasant aftertaste, and be responsible for no harmful effects on the teeth or the tender surfaces of the mouth, tongue and lips. It should also be of a nature to be harmless if swallowed.
Paste and powder dentifrices generally include the same ingredients. The paste type dentifrice, however, in addition includes a binder material and a lubricant material. The binder functions to hold the solid substances of the various ingredients together in a more or less plastic mass. The lubricant functions to ease elimination of the paste from the tube.
Many different forms of paste dentifrices have been devised and made available for brushing the teeth, although most of these compositions may be characterized as either a "burning-type" paste dentifrice or a "foaming-type" paste dentifrice, or both. What has not been generally appreciated in the various disadvantages attendant to these burning and foaming type paste dentifrices.
Thus, many people, especially children, dislike using toothpastes for the reason that if some of the dentifrice is swallowed during the brushing sequence, a burning or unpleasant feeling is induced in the stomach. This burning sensation is due to the presence of the detergent in the dentifrice composition. The detergent is also responsible for the somewhat unpleasant burning effect that the dentifrice has on the sensitive tissues of the mouth, tongue and lips. This burning effect in the mouth may vary from slight effects to, at times, acute burning sensations. It is one of the reasons why some people resist toothbrushing, a function badly needed by all persons in order to preserve their teeth.
Another drawback of conventional paste dentifrices is that the use of water is required for brushing. This combination of water and the paste dentifrice results in an effect termed "foaming." Thus, during the brushing sequence a foam is produced. This foam renders it difficult to maintain the dentifrice in the mouth during the brushing operation and causes dribbling of the dentifrice out of the mouth of the user. This accounts for spillage of the dentifrice about the bath facilities and upon floors and clothing. The foaming effect of the dentifrice also entails the disadvantage that rinsing of the mouth with water is required at the end of the brushing sequence. This requires the presence of a glass of water at hand, or for the user to draw water into the mouth from the faucet of the facility. The presence of glassware in a bathroom facility is disadvantageous due to the hazard of breakage. The drawing of water into the mouth from the faucet of the facility possesses the disadvantage that often these faucets are unsanitary, and therefore the placing of the mouth near or about the faucet is undesirable, or a water source is unavailable.
A further drawback of foaming type dentifrices that require water and rinsing can be understood when the case of school children, hospitalized patients, handicapped people, or invalids is considered. Since it is difficult, if not impossible, for these people to be up and about, the requirement of water to brush and rinse makes the toothbrushing function more than difficult. Thus, access to a bath facility including water is not available to them, and therefore if the teeth are to be brushed at all, some water supply must be carried to them which becomes burdensome and messy.
Another disadvantage of the foaming type dentifrices is the fact that during the brushing operation many bubbles are produced in the foaming process, and such bubbles have a tendency to cause the user of the dentifrices to choke. This is especially true of small children and total nursing care patients. Foaming bubbles can also cause gastric distress and cramps.
Still another drawback of foaming type dentifrices resides in the rinsing function. As hereinabove stated, most dentifrices include a fluoride therein as a decay reducer and preventative. If left on the surface of the teeth, the fluoride acts to reduce decay. The rinsing of the dentifrice from the mouth with water, however, removes the fluoride, and hence its decay fighting property is reduced.
Because of these and other problems, there have been attempts to alter the basic composition of dentifrices in order to avoid especially the burning and foaming characteristics thereof. For example, an ingestible, non-burning and non-foaming dentifrice has been developed in response to requirement of the Manned Spacecraft Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. As is apparent, astronauts in a gravity-free environment are unable to employ the conventional burning and foaming type commercial dentifrices. Thus, the lack of facilities for brushing and rinsing in a spacecraft renders the use of conventional dentifrices impossible.
This new type of dentifrice is formed of a mixture of the following ingredients: insoluble sodium metaphosphate, dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, glycerin, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, saccharin, distilled water and spearmint oil. It is claimed that such a dentifrice composition is ingestible and non-foamy. Nevertheless, such a composition will not achieve effective toothbrushing without the addition of other features. Thus, this dentifrice composition suffers from the disadvantage of the lack of fluoride and compatable abrasives for fighting tooth decay.
Because of this disadvantage, it is proposed, according to the concepts of the present invention, to provide a new decay fighting dentifrice. More particularly, a new dentifrice is provided according to the present invention that is ingestible, non-burning, non-foaming, and which fights tooth decay due to the presence of fluoride and phosphate therein.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing a fluoride-acid phosphate-containing dentifrice that is ingestible, non-burning, and non-foaming.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel fluoride-containing dentifrice that is ingestible, non-burning and non-foaming.